Folder for sewing-machines.



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J. R. IVIOFFATT.

FOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.5.1912.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

/NVE TOR narrar ortica JAMES B.. MOFFATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHIN' COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FOLDER FOR, SEWING-MACHINES.

Application filed January 5, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. MOFFATT, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Chi cago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented Certain new and useful Improvements in Folders for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in folders, and more especially to folders used in connection with sewing machines for folding and inverting a binding strip, and directing the same to a stitching mechanism, whereby an edge of fabric may be covered.

An object of the invention is to provide a folder of the above character, which may be quickly threaded and which is provided with.

devices for folding the raw edges of the strip back upon the body portion of the strip, so that when said strip is inverted, said raw edges will be concealed beneath the binding strip.

In the drawings, which show by Way of illustration one embodiment of the invention,-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the folder, showing also the manner of directing the folded strip to a fabric, and the relation of the folder to the stitching mechanism; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, with parts of the folder broken away at the receiving end thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the receiving end of the folder, showing the manner of folding the raw edges of thestrip. Fig. 5 is a sectional view transversely of the folder through the forked ends ofthe supplemental folding member.

rllhe folder consists of a body portion l, which is mounted on a suitable supporting bracket 2, and said folder is preferably arranged at right angles to the line of stitching and inclined at its delivery end, so that the strip passing through the folder may be inverted as it is delivered to the needle 3. This form of folder is well known in the art, and further description of the relation of the folder to the needle and the inverting of the strip, is not thought necessary.

rThe folder l is provided with a central rib 4, which extends longitudinally of the folder and terminates at 5, which is short of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented lDee. l2, 191MB.

serial No. 669,567.

the receiving end of the folder. rl`he walls 6 and 7 of vthe folder at the receiving end thereof are arranged in a vertical line for1ning a vsingle wall, so that the strip of fabric 8, which is directed to the folder will be received by the folder in unfolded vertical position. These side walls 6 andf of the folder are gradually bent, so as to conform to the central rib 4, as clearly shown in the drawings. l

The walls 6 and 7 are spaced so as to form a receiving groove 9, which extends the full length ofthe folder, and aids in threading the strip to be folded, into the folder. The receiving end of the folder, as herein shown, is bent backward, so that the strip is received at an angle to the plane of travel of the strip through the folder. This shaping of the receiving end of the folder is not, however, an essential feature, but is more especially for convenience in guiding theI strip to the folder.

A bracket 9 is attached to the receiving end of the folder, and is spaced therefrom, so that the strip to be folded may be guided between the bracket and the wall of the folder proper. This bracket supports a sup-- plemental guiding and folding member l0, which coperates with the main body of the folder in turning the raw edges of the strip back upon the body portion of the strip. Said guiding and folding member 10 projects forwardly from the bracket, and is made so as to yield and to produce a slight tension upon the strip as it passes through the folder, through the pressure of the supplemental folder against the strip. Said supplemental folder 10 is provided with a forked end, which forms spaced fingers 11 and l1, which are located each side of the receiving end of the central rib 4.

Each of the fingers l1 and 11 is curved slightly outwardly at their extreme outer ends to conform to the rolling over portion of the side walls 6 and 7. The strip of fabrie to be folded is passed underneath the bracket 9, and underneath the supplemental folding member 10. The strip is then inserted through the receiving slot 9, and placed in the '1J-shaped guiding passage of the main folder. As the strip passes into the folder, the supplemental folding fingers 11 and l1 will cause the outer free edges of the strip to be bent back on to the body portion, as these fingers, together with the side walls iii of the main folder, form a guiding channel or passage which causes the bending back of the edges.

The central rib, which at its receiving end lies between the fingers ll and l1, will gradually form the central fold in the strip, which allows the strip as it is led from the folder to be inverted and the foldedv raw and very small orv narrow strips may be operated 'upon by the folder, and presented to a stitching mechanism.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction may be made', without departing vfrom 'the spirit of the invention, as set: forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what i I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

`1. A folder including in combination, a body portion having a central rib for folding a strip, said rib terminating short of the receiving end of the folder, the walls of the folder being straight at the receiving end f and .gradually bent to conform to said central rib, and supplemental folding means disposed between the rib and the receiving end of the folder and coperating with the former for turning the raw edges of the strip back on the body portion of the strip.

2. A folder including in combination, a'

' body portion having a central rib for folding a strip, said rib' terminating short of the receiving end of the folder, the walls of the y folder being straight at the receiving end and gradually bent to conform to said central rib, and spaced fingers disposed between the rib and the receiving end of the folder coperating with the body portion of the folder for turning the edges of the strip back on the body portion of the strip.

3. A folder including in combination, a body portion having a central rib for folding a strip, said rib terminating short of the receiving end of thefolder, the walls of the folder being straight at the receiving end l and gradually bent to conform to said central rib, spaced fingers disposed between the rib and the receiving end of the folder coperating with the body portion of the folder for turning the edges of the strip back on the body portion of the strip, and

means for yieldingly supporting said fingers.

4. A folder including 1n combination, a

body portion having a central rib for folding a strip, said ribvterminating short of the receiving end of the folder, the walls of the folder being straight at the receiving end and gradually bent to conform to said central rib, and spaced fingers disposed between the rib and the receiving end of the folder cooperating with the body portion of the folder for turning the edges of the strip v rib, a yielding member mounted at the receiving end of the folder and having a forked end forming fingers disposed on opposite sides of the rib and projecting longitudinally of the folder and located at the receiving end of the folder, said fingers cooperating with the body of the folder and with the rib for turning the edges of the strip back on the body portion of the strip.

6. A folder including in combination, a body portion having a4 central rib for folding a'strip, said rib terminating short of the receiving end of the folder, spaced fingers disposed between the rib and the receiving end of the folder, said fingers extending beyond the receiving end of the rib to assist, in the initial folding of the fabric. 7'. A folder including in combination, a body portion having a central ribfor folding a strip, said rib terminating short of the receiving end of the folder, spaced fingers disposed between the rib and the receiving end of the folder, said fingers extending beyond the receiving end of the rib to assist in the initial folding of the fabric, said fingers being curved to conform to the outer walls of the folder adjacent the free ends of said fingers.

48. A folder including in combination, a body portion having a central rib for folding a strip, said rib terminating short of the receiving end of the folder, the wall ofthe folder at the receiving end being straight,

the outer edges of the wall being gradually 4 bent around the rib to conform to said central rib and spaced apart to assist the threading of the strip-.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the'presence of two witnesses.

JAMES R. MOFFATT. Witnesses:

C. McNair., A. B. CLo'rHrER. 

